Store-cabinet for sales accounts.



No. 634,7l3.

T Patented Oct. l0, I899.

C. YORGER G. D. W. WEST.

STORE CABINET FOR SALES ACCOUNTS.

(Application filed Mar. 20, 1899.) (N n Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES YORGER AND DAVIDNV. WEST, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

STORE-CABINET FOLR SALES Aooou -rs;

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent Ho. 634,713, dated October10, 1899.

Application filed March 20, 1899. Serial to. 709,717; (roman To (allwhom, it may concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLES Yonesa and DAVID W. WEST,citizens of theUnited States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Mariou andState of Indiana, have invented cer-' tain new and useful Improvementsin Store- Oabinets for Sales Accounts; and we do declare the followingto be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to theletters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification.

Our invention relates to devices for the use of merchants forfacilitating and simplifying business transactions connected with theselling of goods on a credit system; and it consists in a convenientcabinet embodying new and novel elements in the construction thereofwhereby billing-forms are retained and on which the names of purchasersare entered in alphabetical order, together with the entries of theirpurchases 'at the moment of making the sale, and whereby the bill of anypurchaser may be instantly'referred tofor making subsequent charges orfor summing up and rendering statement of account.

Our invention consists, further, in the parts and combination andarrangement of parts embraced in the details of construction, as will behereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In conducting a retail store much detail work is required, with greatpossibilities of errors, in keeping the accounts of those to whom creditis given, entailing considerable expense in the keeping ofaccount-books,

.usuallyinvolving the multiplication of entries, all of which is aserious loss to the merchant, particularly in cases where the entries ofsales may be inadvertently omitted in crowded hours.

Our object is to providea simple and convenient means whereby theordinary billing forms may be substituted. for the usual system'of booksin making sales entries and rendering the transferring of accounts frombook to book unnecessary, so that the original entries standuntilliquidated. A further object is to provide equally convenientreceptacles wherein thebills as the sheets becorne'filled up andaccumulate may be placed so as tobe readily accessible when renderingThese objects are the accounts may be transferred when desired toa'safe, and it is cheaply manufactured and durable and economical inuse.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 repre% sents a perspective viewillustrating a cabinet constructed in accordance with our invention andin the position in which it is used; Fig. 2, a front elevation of thesame exaggerated and illustrating its position when ready for referringto a particular account; Fig. 3, a central vertical sectional view takentransversely to a side elevation; Fig. at, a perspective view of thebanked hinge-frame; Fig. 5, a fragmentary plan view of a billing-leaf,showing the bill-clip; and

Fig. 6, a perspective view of one ofthe billing-leaves andbalancing-springs.

In practically carrying out our invention we construct a cabinet A ofconvenient size to be portable and suitable to set upon a counter ordesk, or it may be provided with legs, preferably connected wit-ha frameseparate from the cabinet. .Wood is a suitable material for the mainparts, while sheet-tin is preferable for the billingleaves, and steel orbrass wire are suitable material from which to form the springs andclips;

The cabinet consists, essentially, of a case having an open front and adrop-leaf B and in which a series of billing-leaves D are hinged andinclosed when not in use; but in order to further-enhance the value ofour invention we construct the cabinet substantially as shown, which hasa greater depth than is required for the billing-leaves alone,

and comprisesa bottom 6, a closed back,

sides, and a top 01 of two parts, the rear part of which is secured tothe body of the cabinet, while the front 0 is of the-drop type, havinga. flange or lip 3 to cover the upper edge of the leaf Bwhen it isclosed and connected by hinges f to the part 01. Extending from bottomto top and from the back forward a suitable distance is a partition 0,between which and one side are a series of shelves 0;, set highest, attheir front edges.

These shelves are designed to receive the hills which may be completedand removed from the billing-leaves and may be suitably indexed, asuitable number of shelves being either thirteen or twenty-six. Betweenthe opposite side of the partition and the opposite side of the cabinetare a suitable number of inclined shelves 1), designed to temporarilyreceive pass-books of customers and for storing new books. Forward ofthe shelves the sides A and bottom of the cabinet extend a suitabledistance to receive the billing-leaves and their supporting-frame. Ahook 7c and eye 4' afford means for retaining the dropleaf B whenclosed, and a suitable lock. may also be employed.

The billing-leaves D are for the purpose of carrying the individualaccounts, indexing them sufficiently for convenience, and also forseparating them in series, as well as affording a ready table upon whichto write. Thirteen, twenty-six, or any desired number of leaves maybeemployed and each leaf may be of suitable width to receive anyconvenient number of bill-forms, the cabinet being proportionalaccordingly. The upper side of the leaf D is designated by h and theunder side by t' in order to render the description clear. The edge toof each leaf is turned downward over a wire 1, forming a loosehinge-pin, and has a suitable number of notches w, in which are insertedthe coils L of a spring-clip E, bearing upon the upper side 72. andhaving extensions Z bearing against the under side 1 of the leaf D. Atthe ends of the hinge-pin are right and left hand coiled springs J J,each having an arm tof suitable shape bearing against the under side 71of a leaf and an arm 16, suitably anchored, as upon the top 8 of theblock G, these balancesprings being designed to push the leaves againstthe front of the shelves,'but are sufficiently weak in tension to permitthe leaf to rest horizontally when placed in that position. The freeedge of the leaf D is turned upward and over upon itself, but nottightly, forming a clip M for retaining the foot ends of the forms K,and the upper side of the clips contain the indexing-letters, as m,while the under side of the leaf is provided with correspondingindexing-letters, as n.

For the purpose not only-of rendering the index-letters visible bothwhen the leaves are up and when down, but to provide ample finger-holdsin separating the leaves, the rods I, forming the pins upon which theleaves are hinged, are placed in sloping bank position, that for themost forward leaf being lowest and that for the most rearward beinghighest, the intermediate rods being on a sloping line between. This isaccomplished by means of the vertically-disposed plates F, which areperforated to receive the rods I loosely, the top edges being cutangularly to the bottom e of the case, so as to conform to the desireddegree of slope, and the perforations and rods are situated so as-toconform to the line of the angular upper edge, these plates forming theanchored part of the leaf-hinges and may be secured to the case of thecabinet in any suitable manner; but I preferably support them by meansof a connecting-base H and back piece H, either formed separately orintegrally with the plates E, and to the latter are secured blocks G,having a sloping top corresponding with the top of the plate, but lower,so as to provide a convenient support for the arms a of thebalance-springs. Thus a removable frame is provided, which, togetherwith the billing-leaves and accounts, may be quickly withdrawn from thecabinetcase. Suitable latch-bolts N, entering recesses 0, or othersuitable latching devices may be employed for retaining the hingeframe.

In the practical use of our cabinet we place one or more blankbill-heads of the ordinary oblong form under each clip E and also underthe clip M on each billingdeaf D. The accounts are then begun byentering the names of debtors on a bill situated according to theindex-letter corresponding to the debtors initial letter. The salesentries are made, and if a pass-book is used the entry is also madetherein at the time of sale and no further bookkeeping is required. Whena bill becomes full, the amounts are summed up and the total carried toa second blank, while the first is placed in the shelf provided, so thatthe whole account is instantly accessible without waiting for theposting of books, and when the account is settled the bill is receipte'dand delivered to the payer or may be destroyed, thus closing theaccount. This means is invaluable to the dealer who sells for cash as arule, but gives occasional credit to a limited number, when extrabookkeeping would be a great inconvenience.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A store-cabinet, for sales accounts, comprising upright membersprovided with a series of horizontal hinge-rods situate in an inclinedplane, a series of billing-leaves pivoted to such hinge-rods and eachhaving a series of clips on one surface thereof andthe index-letters atthe edge thereof opposite the hinge, and springs at such hinges wherebysuch leaves are retained in vertical positions.

2. A store-cabinet for sales accounts, comprising a case,removableupright members provided with a series of horizontal hingerods situatein an inclined plane, a series ofbilling-leaves all of equal length andpivoted to such hinge-rods and each having a series of clips on onesurface thereof and corresponding index-letters on both surfaces at theedge opposite the hinge thereof whereby any particular leaf may be foundboth when horizontal and when vertical, and springs at such hingesacting against such leaves to partially counterbalance their weight whenhorizontal. u

A store-cabinet, for sales accounts, comprising a case, a hinge-frame,comprising a pair of upright end members provided with a series ofhorizontal hinge-rods situate in a plane inclined so that the forwardone is lower than the rear one of such hinge-rods, a billing-leaf hingedat one edge to each one of such hinge-rods and a coiled spring at an endof each of such hinge-rods and provided each with an arm bearing downupon one of such end members and an arm bearing up against the underside of such connected leaf.

4. A store-cabinet, for sales accounts, comprising a case, a hinge-framecomprising a pair of upright end members provided with a series ofhingerods situate in a plane inclined so that the forward one'is lowerthan the rear one of such hinge-rods, a billing-leafanchored.

5. A store-cabinet, for sales accounts, com prising a case, ahinge-frame comprising a base and upright end members provided with aseries of hinge-rods situate in a plane 'inclined so that the forwardoneis lower than the rear one of such hinge-rods a billing-leaf hinged atone edge to each one of such hingerods and having notches cut in suchhinged edge, and provided at the opposite free edge with a clip formedby turning such edge up ward and over toward the upper face thereofclips secured to such hinge-rod in said notches; and coiled springs atthe ends of such hinge-rods, one arm of each one of which springs bearsagainst the bottom of one of such billing-leaves and the other arm ofwhich springs bears against the top of such end member.

6. A store-cabinet, for sales accounts, comprising a vertical case, ahinge-frame comprising a pair of upright end members provided with aseries of horizontal hinge-rods situate in a plane inclined so that theforward one is lower than the rear one of such hinge-rods, abilling-leaf hinged at one edge to each one of such hinge -rods, aspring coiled about each one of such hinge-rods and provided with an armbearing against the under side of one of such connected leaves and anopposing arm suitably anchored, correspondingindex-letters at both sidesof the free edges of such leaves, and shelves in such case at the rearof such hinge-frame.

such hinge-frame is retained in such case, substantially as set forth.

8. In a store-cabinet for sales accounts, the combination of thehinge-frame comprising a base and a pair of upright endmembers havinginclined top edges and a series of hingepins arranged horizontally butiua plane inclined to correspond with said top edges, the notchedbilling-leaves, the spring-clips, and the springs coiled about saidhinge-pins and bearing against the under side of such leaves and uponthe top of such end members, substantially as set forth.

9. In a store-cabinet, the combination of a case, a hinge-framecomprising a removable base and counterpart upright end members providedwith a series-of hinge-rods set horizontally in an inclined plane, abilling-leaf comprising a rectangular form having one edge turned overto form a clip and provided with index-letters and hinged at the edgeopposite the turned-over edge to such hingerods, clips at such hingeedge, and springs at such hinges whereby such leaves are elasticallyretained in their vertical positions, substantially as set forth.

10. In a store-cabinet, for sales accounts, the combination of the casehaving a bottom and a. drop-leaf hinged thereto, the hingeframecomprising a base and a pair of upright end members provided with aseries of horizontally-dis posed hinge-pins situate in a plane inclinedso that the forward one is lower than therear one of said pins, thebilling-leaves pivoted to said hinge-rods, the spring coiled about eachone of said pins and having an arm bearing against the under side of oneof said leaves and an arm bearing against the top of-one of such endmembers, and a latch whereby said hinge-frame may be detachably retainedin said case, substantially as set forth.

11. In a store-cabinet, the combination of the case, the hingepins, andthe billingleaves each consisting of a rectangular plate having aseriesof notches at one edge and turned over one of said hinge-pins andprovided at its opposite edge with a clip formed by turning said edge upand over toward the body of said leaf, and the clips in said notcheseach composed of a continuous piece of wire coiled about said hinge-pinand having-a loop bearing upon the upper face of said leaf and endsbearing against the under or reverse side of said leaf, substantially asset forth.

' 12. In a store-cabinet for sales accounts, the combination of the caseA provided with the shelves at and b and partition cand having theforwardly-extending sides, hinged sectional top and drop-leaf; thehingeframe comprising the base H, ends F, F, blocks G, G, and series ofrods I; the billing-leaves D having the clips M and the notches 10' atthe opposite edge and hinged to said rods; the clips E having the coil Lin said notches and around said rods; and the springs .I, J, at

the ends of said rods and bearing against said blocks and against theunder side of said leaves, substantially as and for the purposes setforth.

13. In a store-cabinet, for sales accounts, the combination of the caseA provided with the shelves (0 and b and partition 0 and having theforwardly-extending sides, the top d having thehinged drop-section O,and the hinged leaf B; the hinge-frame comprising the up.- right endmembers, and the series of rods I supported by such end members; thebillinghinge-frame, the hinge-rods forming part of suchhinge-franie, theleaves pivoted to such hinge-rods and having the notches in the hingededge thereof, the clips in such notches and mounted on said rods, theclip formed integrally by turning over the free edge of each of suchleaves and having the indexletters thereon, and the index-letters at theopposite side of such leaves, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof We affix our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

CHARLES YORGER. DAVID \V. WEST.

Witnesses:

' WM. H. PAYNE,

E. T. SILvIUs.

